I posted this opinion piece on 7/24/2022 prior to European farmers’ protest who voiced their anger against incompetent politicians who are oblivious to the growing economic plight of small agricultural farming businesses.
And prior to US truckers who are planning to avoid cities that support politically biased judges and corrupt legal systems.
A healthy economy is defined by the productive capacity of its people. Mostly comprised of small businesses; like farmers, construction workers, garment and food processing labor, nurses, teachers, truckers/delivery people and independent contractors, who keep the economy running efficiently and provide goods and services for all citizens.
Recent protests are a sign that the grassroots workforce is increasingly fed up of being burdened by growing layers of bureaucratic/administrative levels of government created jobs that rely on taxes levied on hard working citizens in order to implement policies that are counterproductive and disconnected from reality.
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I took the picture attached several months ago. I didn’t make much of it back then except I thought it was funny. The photo lingered on my mind until I realized it represents a rivalry between two segments of the economy. My guess is that the sneering at hybrid and electric vehicles (EV) reveals an annoyance at the self-righteousness of people who believe they are doing something about the climate change while overlooking the reality of the manpower that sustains the economy.
The first question that comes to mind is the type of workforce these two types of vehicles represent. Pickup trucks are for the most part used by farmers, construction workers, small and medium size business, etc. Mostly comprised of self-employed people and independent contractors that are self-sufficient and don’t rely on any government handouts. This segment represents a grassroots economy that provides essential goods and services to all citizens.
Hybrid & Electric Vehicles (HEV) are typically used by people who work for the government or any other administrative institution. They are for the most part desk jobs. It’s safe to say that bureaucrats have no clue what it means to start a business. They don’t realize the monetary risk taken by small business owners. And the amount of time it takes to run a business. Or the payroll responsibility they have to their employees.
The pictured sticker sneer is not to be about the value of hybrid vehicles. It is directed at a segment of the population that have been sold the idea they are doing a good thing about the environment by buying these vehicles. Not realizing that they have been sold an agenda to promote a green economy that benefits new businesses start-ups. It is the ultimate sales pitch to further the growth of an alternative business sector at the expense of an established grassroots economy.
Keep mind that vehicles like Prius are an astonishing feat of engineering, surpassing by far electric vehicles. Hybrid cars make economic sense in terms of performance, fuel consumption and established vast availability of gas stations.
Pickup trucks are a modern version of carts and wagons used by settlers. The pioneers were followed by a wave of immigrants who traveled on wagon trains and prairies schooners who over the centuries migrated throughout the country and built the US economy.
People’s entrepreneurial spirit is at the origin of America’s economic power. Government administrative state grew exponentially since the first settlers planted the seed of US’ super power. A status that is threatened by devastating government mandates to curb the use of fossil fuel that is needed to run a cost-effective grassroots economy.
The threat to the US economy that has been implemented by environmental sustainable governance (ESG) policies. And by mandates that have sabotaged the exploration and drilling plans of the energy sector. These policies combined with past lockdowns have wrought havoc to the supply chain of goods and services and have set the stage for current inflated prices of food, fuel, housing, goods and services.
The Biden administration has coordinated and committed to plans to meet climate change doomsday scenario with foreign global institutions. And signaled its intention to use executive orders to curb carbon fossil exploration and production that will drive fuel prices higher potentially hurting the grassroots economy.
There is not enough viable HEV trucks on the market to replace the current pickup trucks. These vehicles are more expensive and don’t match the power and mileage range of current trucks to haul people, goods and materials.
When Henri Ford introduced the T-model he did not have any government directive to do so. Buyers replaced their horses and carriages because consumer wanted to buy motor cars. The transition between the use of carriages and horse-powered vehicles went on smoothly, without the need of self-inflicted government policies that harm the grassroots economy.
Pickups represent the biggest number of vehicle sales in the US. In 2019 sales of Ford F-series, GM Chevrolet and Sierras models, and Dodge Ram, totaled ~2.3 million units. Whereas HEV sales, including all makes and models, totaled ~400,000. Statistics shows how important the pickup grassroots economy is.
Misguided climate mandates do not take into account how the real economy works. Using the climate change as a sales pitch to promote a futuristic economy at the expense of the real economy will potentially incur a growing political resentment by the grassroots workforce.
